Transaction Description:
UNIVERSITY PRESS OF MISSISSIPPI (A PROPOSAL TO SUPPORT SALARY COSTS AND CREATE NEW HUMANITIES POSITIONS) [UNIVERSITY PRESS OF MISSISSIPPI (UPM) IS A NONPROFIT HUMANITIES PUBLISHER OF GROUND-BREAKING SCHOLARLY BOOKS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES, FOLKLORE, GENDER STUDIES, HISTORY, LITERARY STUDIES, AND POPULAR CULTURE. UPM SUCCEEDED DURING THE PANDEMIC DUE TO DEMAND FOR CERTAIN PRODUCT LINES, ESPECIALLY EBOOKS, INSTITUTIONAL ELECTRONIC ACCESS FOR LIBRARIES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND ONLINE SALES VIA PRINT-ON-DEMAND VENDORS. UPM MET THIS DEMAND THANKS TO INVESTMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND A TALENTED STAFF THAT QUICKLY TRANSITIONED TO REMOTE WORK AND A DIGITAL WORKFLOW. THIS TRANSITION AND THE NEW WORK CREATED BY SHIFTS IN THE MARKET PLACED UNSUSTAINABLE STRESS ON THE STAFF AND SYSTEMS. TO MAINTAIN OUTPUT AND CREATE FUTURE GROWTH, UPM NEEDS ADDITIONAL STAFF TO TRANSFORM THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INTO A LONG-TERM DIGITAL STRUCTURE. UPM SEEKS FUNDS FROM THE NEH TO CREATE FOUR NEW HUMANITIES POSITIONS. NEH FUNDS WILL ENSURE THE FUTURE OF UPM AS A SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE HUMANITIES ORGANIZATION.] [PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO SUPPORT A UNIVERSITY PUBLISHER IN SUSTAINING AND CREATING STAFF POSITIONS AND INCREASING THEIR CAPACITY TO ADDRESS NEW DEMANDS IN ACADEMIC PUBLISHING CREATED BY THE PANDEMIC. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE UNIVERSITY PRESS OF MISSISSIPPI WILL USE FUNDS TO CREATE AND HIRE FOUR NEW HUMANITIES POSITIONS. NEW STAFF WILL WORK WITH CURRENT EMPLOYEES TO IMPROVE AND MAKE PERMANENT CHANGES TO THE PRESS? WORKFLOW INCLUDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CLOUD-BASED PUBLISHING SOFTWARE, THE IMPROVEMENT AND EXPANSION OF A CLOUD-BASED PUBLISHING DATABASE AND DIGITAL WORKFLOW SYSTEM, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW FILE-NAMING POLICIES AND ORGANIZATION, AND A SYSTEM FOR PERMANENT DIGITAL STORAGE OF EDITORIAL, MARKETING, PRODUCTION, AND BUSINESS FILES. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: FUNDING WILL RETAIN THREE EXISTING STAFF POSITIONS, CREATE FOUR NEW POSITIONS, AND ALLOW THE ORGANIZATION TO IMPLEMENT A LONG-TERM DIGITAL WORKFLOW CRITICAL TO ITS FUTURE SUCCESS. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE PRESS IS AFFILIATED WITH THE EIGHT STATE UNIVERSITIES OF MISSISSIPPI, AS WELL AS STATE MUSEUMS, AND SCHOLARLY SOCIETIES, AND ITS PUBLICATIONS ARE OF INTEREST TO SCHOLARS, STUDENTS, AND THE PUBLIC. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE PROJECT DOES NOT INTEND TO ISSUE SUBAWARDS.]
